Thousands of acres are aflame in San Bernardino County and more than 5,000 people have been asked to leave their homes. More evacuations could be on the way if the 7,000-acre Pilot fire doesn’t slow its expansion. It should be enough to light a fire under other Inland residents to prepare themselves for an emergency that could force them from their homes.

Forest and fire officials have created dozens of resources to help folks prepare for a major fire. Resources such as websites by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Cal Fire are designed to help people take precautions before, during and after a disaster.

Though these sites are created mostly for a wildfire, many of the tips can be applied to any emergency that could befall residents of the Golden State, including flooding and major earthquakes. Here are some of the best practices for preparing for crises.

1. Keep an eye on the weather. The National Weather Service issues red flag warnings when the weather creates conditions that prime the area for a wildfire. Likewise, news and weather organizations can communicate to the public when heavy rainfall is on the way.

2. Plan to leave. Officials recommend finding two routes to leave an area — one in case the other is blocked. It’s also important for family members to decide on a method to find each other in case they get separated. It’s also important to keep at least one car well-fueled in case it needs to go somewhere far away quickly.

3. Keep a wildfire away from a home. Ensuring debris like leaves and wood are kept away from a home and filling empty trash cans and other bins with water can help keep a fire from starting in a yard.

4. Once a disaster strikes and it’s time to leave, prepare your home. Officials say that includes removing lightweight curtains, shutting off gas at the meter, moving flammable furniture into the center of the room and turning off the air conditioning.

5. Pack a kit that you can grab and go or leave in your car. This should include a three-day supply of food and three gallons of water for each person leaving. Also pack extra clothes, prescription medications, pet supplies, money and a flashlight with extra batteries.

6. Residents should remain vigilant even after they return home. Officials say folks should only return home when local officials say it’s safe. When they do, residents are advised to continue to look for smoke or hidden embers nearby if they’re coming back after a wildfire.

7. Finally, once all is said and done, it’s time to clean up. Firefighters recommend throwing out food affected by fire and wearing a dust mask while cleaning. It’s also important, they say, to take pictures of the damage for insurance purposes.

Anne Millerbernd is the breaking news reporter for the Press-Enterprise in Riverside. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2015. Before joining the P-E, Anne interned at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. When she's not tracking cops and firefighters in western Riverside County, Anne can be found staring longingly at pictures of dogs and making fancy graphics for the internet.

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